Aryeh Copa

There is a major point being missed here by some. Back country, single-track trails are nothing like bike paths, core trails or sidewalks. Single-track trails do not come with a blueprint and require a significant amount of “field fitting” to best fit into the landscape while doing minimal disturbance to the land and wildlife. Anyone can learn the basics of sustainable trail design, but a great trail requires as much creativity and artistic vision as it does science. And that vision has to be present in the field, during the build, if world class trails are to be the result.
There is a reason that there are specialty trail building companies and a reason that most of the pre-qualified bidders for these three small projects, are trail specialists. The reason is that the community wants “world class” single-track, not a road through the forest. Most of the higher dollar projects in the Trails Alliance proposal are precisely the type of projects that local contracting/excavating companies are qualified for and RCR is not. But hiring these companies to build single-track is like hiring a house painter to create a fine art portrait simply because they understand how to mix paint. Of course when the house painter messes up a portrait, you can always hire someone new. If a contractor messes up a back country trail, then there is massive environmental destruction that is expensive and difficult (or impossible) to fix.
RCR has vast experience designing, building and maintaining back country trails as well as fixing mistakes and re-routing poorly built trails done by other contractors. RCR purchased a trail machine in order to create world-class trails with the least expense possible to the city and therefore stretching the 2A funds. RCR’s is a non-profit organization who’s motivation is to build and maintain the best possible trails for the community and themselves to enjoy, the motivation is not greed, that is why RCR won the bid, they succeeded in saving the city money by being the lowest bidder.
Claiming the bid process was rigged for RCR is laughable and shows either a total lack of knowledge of the bid packet, or an attempt to misinform the public. Wealth is about more then money. You all might try to get outside, away from the computer and hike a mountain and enjoy a trail and maybe discover that you don't need to be rich to live rich in a place like this.

There is a major point being missed here by some. Back country, single-track trails are nothing like bike paths, core trails or sidewalks. Single-track trails do not come with a blueprint and require a significant amount of “field fitting” to best fit into the landscape while doing minimal disturbance to the land and wildlife. Anyone can learn the basics of sustainable trail design, but a great trail requires as much creativity and artistic vision as it does science. And that vision has to be present in the field, during the build, if world class trails are to be the result.
There is a reason that there are specialty trail building companies and a reason that most of the pre-qualified bidders for these three small projects, are trail specialists. The reason is that the community wants “world class” single-track, not a road through the forest.
Most of the higher dollar projects in the Trails Alliance proposal are precisely the type of projects that local contracting/excavating companies are qualified for and RCR is not. But hiring these companies to build single-track is like hiring a house painter to create a fine art portrait simply because they understand how to mix paint. Of course when the house painter messes up a portrait, you can always hire someone new. If a contractor messes up a back country trail, then there is massive environmental destruction that is expensive and difficult (or impossible) to fix.
RCR has vast experience designing, building and maintaining back country trails as well as fixing mistakes and re-routing poorly built trails done by other contractors. RCR purchased a trail machine in order to create world-class trails with the least expense possible to the city and therefore stretching the 2A funds. RCR’s is a non-profit organization who’s motivation is to build and maintain the best possible trails for the community and themselves to enjoy, the motivation is not greed, that is why RCR won the bid, they succeeded in saving the city money by being the lowest bidder.
Claiming the bid process was rigged for RCR is laughable and shows either a total lack of knowledge of the bid packet, or an attempt to misinform the public.
Wealth is about more then money. You all might try to get outside, away from the computer and hike a mountain and enjoy a trail and maybe discover that you don't need to be rich to live rich in a place like this.

Although not mentioned in this article, at council meeting there were some complaints from downtown business owners about downtown business employees taking up parking spaces. These business owners could easily solve that problem by creating incentive to ride the bus or a bike. Offer an extra hour onto payroll for each day an employee rides their bike to work. Some more progressive business' already do things like this.
And, spending 54k on a study from an outside group that does not understand our community is absurd, council would most likely ignore the study that will only tell us what we already know. If someone is not aware of "what technology even exists" for parking, then get on line and educate yourself instead of looking uninformed at a council meeting.

BTUSA kool-aid? Ya right. I don't think we should even be calling ourselves BT til we modernize our trail system. You should read that last line again and maybe you will get it this time. And yes, I had no idea just how closed minded you are. I would never have thought that a fellow mountain biker would do the most damage to the volunteer biking efforts of so many. Thousands of volunteer hours went into convincing this community to dedicate accommodations tax money to trails. We had numerous public meetings as well as a website for comments and suggestions. Where were you then? We have an RCR meeting every month and trails meeting every week. Where have you been? You could be very educated and informed if you attended. Instead, thanks for working so hard against us and wasting all of our time. Maybe you want start your own "Bikers against cool trails" club and see how many members you get.
You clearly do not get it, non-bikers will feel much more welcome on all the multi-use trails of Emerald if there is less downhill mountain bike traffic.
Directional trails serve all trail users by reducing DH traffic and conflict. The directional trails proposed on Emerald will push out no one and greatly reduce traffic on other trails. Can you hear me? So sick of sounding like a broken record. Some will never get it, til it is built, then I bet you will love it. Strava it up.

The assertion that directional trails “will lead to conflict with uphill users, and non-bikers” could not be more wrong or misguided. The main point of directional, user-specific trails is to reduce conflict with uphill users and non-bikers. As long as they are not eliminating a multi-use trail to make it directional, but creating a new trail, all evidence shows that these types of trails reduce user conflict.
These are not downhill trails for downhill bikes but user-specific directional trails for any mountain bike and bikers of all ability levels. And yes the “feel” may change: you wont have to constantly get out of the way for other users, the trails will be and feel less crowded, your ride or hike will be quieter and have more of a wilderness feel. Traveling in the same directional flow means very little interaction with others, and riding down the mountain without having to stop and yield a dozen times will be sublime.
Directional trails on Emerald will serve ALL trail users by getting the high-speed downhill traffic (and most downhill mountain bike traffic in general) off of the multi-use trails that are already quite crowded. This will improve everyone’s trail experience and everyone I have talked to supports directional trails when it’s explained to them like this. So stop your assertion that everyone is as closed minded as you. Why a mountain biker that tries to set Strava record downhill times on Emerald would not support one trail that is appropriate for that activity is beyond me. It seems absurd to still have to be explaining the benefits of directional trails, especially to a mountain biker. But as long as the uninformed keep yelling publicly and working against the thousands of hard volunteer hours that has gotten us here, I will keep explaining.
The 2A steering committee has a good grasp of what is here, missing and what is needed and that is why they prioritize directional trails. Other mountain bike communities already have, or are racing their neighbors to attain, directional flow trails. This is the trend. Get with the times. Without directional trails within our cross-country networks, we will become irrelevant in the larger mountain bike world.
I know, and understand why, many locals don’t want more tourists or modernization of our trail system, but it’s coming so lets do it right. 20 years ago the closed minded that are afraid of change opposed the instillation of the bike trails on Emerald in the first place with statements like “I like riding and connecting animal trails”, “bushwhacking is fun” and “it will ruin the feel”. We all rode in the mud and skidded back then too. But we evolved and we need to keep up with the biking world if we want to legitimately call Steamboat Springs “Bike Town USA”.

I couldn't agree more that the city should hire from within. Steamboat Springs is a unique resort town with a western heritage and a demographic that is nothing like the average American city. It takes someone that lives here because they love Steamboat Springs to understand this unique balance. Craig Robinson has lived here for more then 20 years and has been working for the Parks and Recreation Department for most of them. Unless he does not want the job for some reason, I can think of no one more qualified then Craig to fill the position of Parks and Recreation Director. Having worked with the Parks & Recreation department for many years, I have had many disagreements with Craig but he always listens, is fair and has shown great fiscal responsibility. Craig could seamlessly fill the position with no training and, if he applied, the city should consider itself fortunate to have such a qualified, local candidate. This is my official endorsement of Craig Robinson for the position of Parks and Recreation Director.

Since there appears to be so many misinformed "no" voters with no desire to educate themselves, here is the ballot language that was voted on and Passed by the citizens of Steamboat Springs over 25 years ago.

“Shall the City Council of Steamboat Springs, in order to provide revenues to fund development of improvements and amenities in Steamboat Springs which will promote tourism and enhance the vitality of Steamboat Springs as a premiere destination resort, and enhance the community identity, environmental desirability and economic health of Steamboat Springs, enact AN ORDINANCE LEVYING A LODGING TAX OF 1% ON PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS OF LESS THAN 30 DAYS?”

Scott,
wouldn't it be nice if your assertion were true, that we, The Trails Alliance,"were in the same position as Senate Democrats to play hardball and win the issue" but alas we are volunteers of a non-profit that were limited to a three minute comment period during city counsel meetings and were never given the chance to re-comment after ballot language was discussed. I see this as a great flaw in the way counsel meetings are conducted. Our comments can only be made at the beginning of the topic discussion and we were not allowed to comment after hearing counsels discussion of the matter at hand. Although we see many problems with the ballot language there was compromise that took place that ultimately is better then the alternative. The ten year commitment allows us to plan long term for trail projects that require an environmental study process, a public comment process, a design process, a bid process and the actual building of each project. Without a multi-year commitment there is little incentive for land managers to work with us on these multi-year projects.
None of us are naive about the fact that there will be a steering committee that decides what projects are prioritized and when. But we have been assured, and will insist, that all steering committee meetings will be open to the public and that we will have some say as to the members of such a committee.
You have so much to say now but never showed up at a single one of the city counsel meetings where your comments could have had a positive effect. Instead you draw worst case scenarios to sabotage the hard work of others.

To those planning on voting "no" on 2A, what is your alternative? Before you suggest sewer or street improvements, or more likely suggest something that will benefit you disproportionately over the common resident or visitor, please educate yourself as to the original ballot language: http://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/2547 so you know what the voter approved tax can and cannot be used for and who pays the tax.
Remember, this tax will be collected even if 2A is not passed.

It always amazes me how the most uninformed and uneducated on a subject often have the most to say about it. To say that the accommodation tax is taken at gunpoint is asinine. The voters and taxpayers of Steamboat Springs approved this tax in 1986 and I have never heard of anyone booking a vacation to Steamboat because someone was holding them at gunpoint. Nor have I yet to hear anyone from the lodging community complain about the 1% tax that the "jack-booted tax collectors" (residents of Steamboat Springs) approved and voted for. To those voting "no" on 2A, I would like to know what your alternative is. But please, before you suggest things like sewer or road improvements, read the original Accommodations Tax ballot language (http://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/2547) and educate yourself as to what the tax can and cannot be used for and who pays for it. And remember, the tax will be collected even if 2A does not pass. At that point city counsel will have the discretion to spend it as they see fit and as they interpret the ballot language. Or the whole process could start over and wast a bunch of the city's tax dollars trying to pass the same, or another, referendum next year.
Thank you Jack V for educating yourself and writing such a thoughtful commentary. Don't be discouraged by the ignorant and thoughtless comments of adults with a lesser intellect.